Celosia plant named ‘Zancecomfort’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Celosia  plant named ‘Zancecomfort’, characterized by its compact and broadly upright plant habit; freely branching habit; green and dark purple bi-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; bright red purple-colored flowers arranged on spicate-type inflorescences; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Celosia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZANCECOMFORT’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Celosiaplant, botanically known as Celosia hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Zancecomfort’.

The new Celosia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact and uniform Celosia plantswith attractive flower coloration.

The new Celosia plant originated from an open-pollination in September,2009 in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection ofCelosia hybrida identified as code number Id 102, not patented, as thefemale, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Celosia hybrida asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Celosia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inRijsenhout, The Netherlands on May 15, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Celosia plant by cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands sinceJun. 22, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Celosiaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Celosia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Zancecomfort’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Zancecomfort’ as a new and Celosia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and broadly upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Green and dark purple bi-colored leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Bright red purple-colored flowers arranged on spicate-type        inflorescences.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Celosia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia have spicate-type inflorescences        whereas plants of the female parent selection have plumose-type        inflorescences.    -   2. Plants of the new Celosia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Celosia can be compared to plants of Celosia argentea‘Venezuela Dark’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants ofthe new Celosia and ‘Venezuela Dark’ differed primarily in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia were shorter and broader than        plants of ‘Venezuela Dark’.    -   2. Plants of the new Celosia were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Venezuela Dark’.    -   3. Plants of the new Celosia and ‘Venezuela Dark’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Venezuela Dark’ had purple-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Celosia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Celosia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Zancecomfort’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering stem of ‘Zancecomfort’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view ofthe upper surfaces of typical developing and fully expanded leaves of‘Zancecomfort’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring in 9-cm containers ina glass-covered greenhouse in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of commercial production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 20° C.to 22° C. Plants were pinched one time about 2.5 weeks after plantingand were ten weeks old when the photographs and description were taken.In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Celosia hybrida ‘Zancecomfort’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Celosia            hybrida identified as code number Id 102, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Celosia            hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots, summer.—About 12 days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 199D in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous annual typically            grown as a potted plant; compact and broadly upright plant            habit; freely branching habit with about seven lateral            branches developing per plant; moderately vigorous.        -   Plant height.—About 22 cm to 25 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 25 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm to 20 cm. Diameter:            About 6 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 145B with longitudinal streaks,            close to N170C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 5 cm to 9.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2 cm to 4 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A; central            areas, close to N79A; main vein, close to 158D; lateral            veins, close to 138A or N79A. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 138B, central areas, close to N77D; main            vein, close to 195A; lateral veins, close to 138B or N77D.        -   Petiole length.—About 1 cm to 2 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 1 mm to 2 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper surface.—Close to 158D.        -   Petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 195A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single elliptical flowers            arranged in terminal and axillary spikes; spicate-type            inflorescences; flowers face mostly upright; freely            flowering habit, about 100 to 250 flowers per inflorescence            and about 13,000 flowers developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 5.5            weeks after planting; in the garden, plants flower            continuously during the summer in The Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences last about two            months on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 3.5 cm to 4.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Flower depth.—About 7 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 64C.        -   Petals.—None observed.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five. Length: About            5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 64C; color does not fade            with development. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 64C; color does not fade with development.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:            About 45° from vertical. Strength: Weak; flexible. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to            N74B. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to            158D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 156D.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            4 mm. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to N74A.            Stigma color: Close to N74B. Ovary color: Close to N74D.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Color:            Close to 202A.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Celosia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Celosia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Celosia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Celosia plant named ‘Zancecomfort’as illustrated and described.